H.S. BASKETBALL: Loss is fresh but future bright for Brockton girls

The future is bright for the Brockton High girls basketball team whose season ended on Monday with a 58-45 loss to Newton North in the Div. 1 South Sectional semifinals

Chris McDaniel cmcdaniel@wickedlocal.com @ChrisMcDaniel88

BROCKTON – As the Brockton High girls basketball team left the locker room after its 58-45 loss to Newton North in the Div. 1 South Sectional semifinals Monday night, many of their eyes were filled with tears.

But most of those eyes were also looking ahead to next season.

The Boxers will lose only one senior, albeit an important one in two-year starting point guard Tatianna Dias, while returning a deep cast of characters.

“I think at this point we just build off of that and that drives us every day until next year,” said Brockton coach April Dingwell of the loss. “We have everyone but Tati (Dias) back, which is great.”

Two of the youngest Boxers shined the brightest in the loss.

Freshman guard Jalani Jackson scored a team-high 16 points in front of a packed Asiaf Field House crowd while sophomore center Toni Fairhurst flashed her potential as a game-changer in the paint on both ends of the floor.

Brockton can only hope to continue the rapid ascent it’s had the past three seasons.

The Boxers have gone from a tournament afterthought two years ago, sneaking into the tournament in the last game of the season last year to a contender this year.

“This year was a pretty good step in the right direction,” said Dingwell. “So hopefully it only improves for next year.”

Returning with the young guns will also be a deep class of juniors who have been part of the ups and downs of the past three seasons.

Junior starters like Geornaisha Silva-Moore, who scored 12 points in the loss Monday, Aliyah Brito (center) and Catherine Louis will be back.

“They’re hanging their heads tonight and it’s obviously tough,” said Dingwell, “but I’ve seen the work they put in last season and they know how good they can be. I think they’re just starting to see a true glimpse of that and where they want to be.”

Junior guard Nataschia Elias and sophomore forward Nadiya Monteiro, who both saw playing time on Monday, will also return.

“Looking at the future, we can see where we were exposed tonight and hopefully that will drive them every day until next season,” said Dingwell. “Now that they’re here, this deep in the tourney, I think they’re just going to work towards a whole another level and continue to build on the incredible steps that they’ve made.